Board of Directors

Term: 2026-2029

Edie and her husband, Steve, have been Co-op members for nearly 40 years and still smile when they think about the old Chestnut Street store — and yes, the “log building” too. They’ve lived in the Lakeland area outside Biwabik for many years, happily rooted in the community they love.

Edie’s background as a longtime nonprofit and government executive director means she brings plenty of collaboration, strategy, and good old-fashioned common sense to the table.

When she’s not working with people, you’ll find her on the lake soaking up every minute of summer, tending her gardens, or watching whatever critters wander through the yard. She and Steve love cooking together, especially when they can pull ingredients straight from their garden or the Co-op and turn them into something delicious.

In her 2nd term, she is getting to know the Co-op from the board side and will continue to help keep Natural Harvest growing, thriving, and full of good food and good people.

Term: 2025 – 2028

I grew up in central Minnesota on a hobby farm with 6 siblings and resourceful parents who never threw anything away! Here I developed my love of nature, gardening, sports, travel, and life-long learning. I received my Physical Therapy degree from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth and spent my college years working at a summer camp for neurodivergent kids northeast of Ely and in the BWCA where I met my husband Dave. After spending time in Colorado, we settled back in Minnesota to raise our 4 daughters. My professional path transitioned from direct patient care to leading education and marketing teams for medical device companies where I continue today as an independent consultant. Throughout my career and personal experiences (in 2015, at 53, Dave suffered a fatal heart attack), it is clear to me the primary cause of many common diseases comes down to the food and nutrients we put in our bodies and how we use the energy food provides us. Upward trends in obesity, diabetes, cancers, heart disease, etc. all have direct correlations to the increased consumption of processed food. We can change this at the local and individual level through the choices we make every day. I believe in the value and importance of healthy eating, sustainable food production, and the strength of community developed through the sharing of food that comes directly from the source. Serving on the Board of Directors at NHFC gives me the opportunity to live out these beliefs and build a stronger, healthier Iron Range community.

I recently moved to Wynne Lake in Biwabik with my husband, Eric, and we look forward to making this our home. We love a house full of friends and frequent opportunities to host and cook for our extended families, kids, grandkids and friends whenever possible. I enjoy mountain biking, hiking, skiing, and snowshoeing – anything outdoors!

Term: 2025-2028

I am a self-educated, jack-of-all trades type of guy. But food has always been my defining passion. I’ve worked in and owned food-related businesses (in my next life I intend to own/operate a restaurant or be a farmer). I truly enjoy grocery shopping (weird hey?!). I’ve always had a garden. I hunt and fish and gather wild edibles. I LOVE to cook. I research and experiment with butchery, cooking methods, food preservation methods, wild mushrooms and medicinal plants and nutraceutical supplementation. The hardest thing is consistently finding and making the best food choices!

Food is more than calories and nutrients. Food is the material foundation of our very being, nourishing and building our bodies while at the same time adding richness to our life experience through our cultural and spiritual practices surrounding its production and consumption. I see a future where Natural Harvest expands to play a greater role in local food production, processing and delivery. Our current profit-based industrial food delivery systems feel remote, spiritless and risky. Can Natural Harvest play a greater role in strengthening our local food resources? I believe it’s worth a look. I look forward to asking this community of like-minded folks what they think.

Term: 2024 – 2027

I grew up in the Cook / Lake Vermilion area and moved to the cities to pursue education in Business Administration and Marketing. I returned to the area with my husband to raise our son in the Mountain Iron area. During the course of my career, I landed in Human Resources and now serve our communities at Scenic Rivers Health Services in that capacity.

Cooking is one of my favorite things to do, and over the years I’ve come to understand the importance of whole foods, organic ingredients and supplementary nutrients. I joined the Natural Harvest Food Coop Board of Directors because my values align with the mission. I look forward to being involved in my community in a new way and supporting access to healthy foods and healthy living for the people in our rural area.

Other than cooking, I enjoy exercising, snowmobiling, spending time at the lake and most importantly with my family. I’m always following my son around in school and year-round sports while making amazing new friendships along the way.

Term: 2025 – 2028

Term: 2026-2029

I grew up on the Iron Range and remember my parents shopping at the Natural Harvest Food Co-op in downtown Virginia, we also had a garden, so we always had quality food either grown ourselves or purchased from the Co-op.  Currently, I appreciate the options available at the store along with the fresh products available at our local farmer’s markets.  We are lucky to have these options and I hope to help ensure that we continue to have them.

I was a teacher for 32 years in the metro area, St Cloud, and the Iron Range.  After my recent retirement, I was looking for a way to continue to contribute to the community and the Food Co-op provided that opportunity.  I live in Virginia with my wife Kari and we enjoy traveling around the region and around the country.   Many summer nights, we like to get out and enjoy the live music available in our local communities.  I spend a lot of my summer days either on the golf course, on my motorcycle, or out on the lake.  In the winter, I like to get out on my snowmobile, skis, and snowshoes. The Iron Range is a great place to live!

Term: 2026-2027

Alyce Christopherson is a small business owner and longtime northern Minnesota resident with a passion for community connection and supporting local initiatives. As the owner of a salon, she values relationships, sustainability, and creating welcoming spaces where people feel cared for. She is excited to serve on the board of Natural Harvest Food Co-op and contribute to its mission of providing healthy food choices and strengthening the local community.

Term: 2026-2027

Term: 2026-2029

I was born at the Virginia Hospital.  Lived my first two years in Gilbert.  Then moved to the lake.  Ely Lake.  Graduated from Eveleth Gilbert and then Mesabi Community College.  Moved to Mankato to study Geographic Information Solutions (smart mapping) and ended up in the Twin Cities for work.  There I worked a myriad of jobs, but my main ones were at Vista Information Solutions dealing in insurance mapping, Excel energy in mapping power lines, Supervalu Inc doing demographics and mapping for grocery, and finally at Farview installing computers in hospitals and clinics.  Then I moved home.  Here I work as a paraprofessional at the Rock Ridge High School.

Volunteering is in my blood.  I’ve helped packing food, fundraising for stuffed animals for kids on ambulances, and at conventions from here to the Twin Cities.  Reading is another passion.  From history to sci/fi-fantasy to real science and biographies, I’m always looking at books.  Current favorite books are Dungeon Crawler Carl and Turnings Cathedral.  Gadgets are great.  Whether they’re for around the house or working outside.  No excuse like a new project to need a new tool. Helping my Mom with the yard/garden also takes up a bunch of my time.

I have always liked the Co-op.  It was a place to visit when coming home.  Get some more soap.  Stock up on cereal.  Grab some bulk spices for cooking or making a chai tea latte recipe I saw online.  I’ve had seventeen years in grocery and wasn’t ready to quit totally.  I’m hoping to share my grocery knowledge and learn a few things in the process.